Nervous System Lecture Notes

Front 1

Neuroscience fields: the advances

Back 1

Basic neuroscience advances
Translational Neuroscience Advances
Clinical/Mental Health Care Advances

Front 2

Name as many scientific fields that start with "neuro" as you can (there are 9 of them). If you name five, you're good

Back 2

Neurotechnology/Neuroengineering/Neuroinformatics

Neuromarketing/Neuroeconomics

Neuroeducation

Neuroaesthetics

Social Neuroscience

Neuropolicy/Neurolaw

Neuroethics

Neurophilosophy

Neurotheology

Front 3

Overview of the nervous system (six points)

Starts with sensory receptor

Back 3

Sensory receptor
sensory input (afferent) → integration (brain and spinal cord) → motor output (efferent) → effector (muscles, glands)

Front 4

Where is white matter in the brain?

Back 4

White matter: inside/core of brain

Front 5

What is the white matter of the brain?

Back 5

Primarily myelinated tracts of neuronal axons

Front 6

Myelinated tracts of neuronal axons in the core of the brain... what could we call those?

Back 6

These tracts could be called the "highways of the brain"

Front 7

Where is gray matter in the brain?

Back 7

Gray matter is the outer part of the brain, the thin cortex of the brain

Front 8

What does the gray matter of the brain primarily consist of?

Back 8

Consists primarily of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and unmyelinated axons

Front 9

The neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and unmyelinated axons of the brain's gray matter... what could this stuff be called?

Back 9

Brain's gray matter could be called the "cities/processing areas of the brain"

Front 10

Action Potential

Back 10

Brief membrane potential change that travels down the axon

Front 11

An action potential does WHAT to the polarity of the resting membrane potential?

Back 11

It reverses the polarity

Front 12

How does an AP reverse the polarity of the resting membrane potential?

Back 12

Overshoots the zero potential level

Front 13

The AP moves as an all-or-none wave down the WHAT toward the WHAT?

Back 13

down the axon toward the synapse

Front 14

What must a membrane potential change do in order to elicit an AP

Back 14

Membrane potential change must rise above a particular set level, called the "threshhold"

Front 15

Body maps (_______________________ maps) of the primary motor cortex & somatosensory cortex of the cerebrum.

Back 15

body maps (somatotopic maps)

Front 16

Which side of the brain does this function come from? Analytic thought

Back 16

left

Front 17

Which side of the brain does this function come from? Language

Back 17

left

Front 18

Which side of the brain does this function come from? synthetic/holistic thought

Back 18

right

Front 19

Which side of the brain does this function come from? creativity

Back 19

right

Front 20

Which side of the brain does this function come from? context/big picture

Back 20

right

Front 21

How is hydrocephalus treated?

Back 21

Tube inserted into lateral ventricle through hole in the skull.

Drainage tube is usually introduced into peritoneal cavity, with extra length to allow for growth of child.

Front 22

"Emotional Brain"

Back 22

The Limbic System

Front 23

Components of the CNS

Back 23

Spinal cord and brain

Front 24

There's not just the CNS and PNS, there's also the...

Back 24

there's also the ANS (autonomic nervous system)

Front 25

What is the nervous system? What kind of system? (and they both start with C)

Back 25

A communicating and control system

Front 26

Nervous system can produce effects how fast?

Back 26

can produce effects in milliseconds

Front 27

Two general kinds of cells in nervous system

Back 27

Neurons (nerve cells)
Neuroglia (glia or glial cells)

Front 28

Neurites

Back 28

Processes, like dendrites and axons

Front 29

What kind of signals does the NS use?

Back 29

electrical signals

Front 30

Changes in voltage are also known as...

Back 30

a.k.a electrical potential changes

Front 31

What are changes in voltage transmitted across?

Back 31

Across neuronal membranes

Front 32

Synapses

Back 32

Sites where neurons communicate by chemical signals

Front 33

Microscopic sites where neurons communicate with each other by chemical signals

Back 33

Synapses

Front 34

Are synapses neuron to neuron or neuron to muscle?

Back 34

Neuron to neuron NOT neuron to muscle

Front 35

What are neural circuits/networks?

Back 35

Many neurons communicating at synapses; form gross anatomy of nervous system

Front 36

What are neural circuits/networks responsible for?

Back 36

Responsible for our ideas & actions

Front 37

Damage at any or multiple levels of nervous system

Back 37

Neuropathology

Front 38

Multipolar

Back 38

Multipolar = multibranched

Front 39

Three things the NS does:

Back 39

1. Sensory input
2. Integration
3. Motor output

Front 40

Afferent

Back 40

"Carrying to" the CNS (brain and spinal cord)

Front 41

Where does integration happen?

Back 41

integration happens in the CNS

Front 42

Integration

Back 42

Analysis of all input and potential output info

Front 43

Not only does integration involves analyzing and coordinating sensory input with potential motor output, but it also involves...

Back 43

also involves complex higher/abstract thought (cognition)

Front 44

Where does motor output go?

Back 44

To muscles and glands

Front 45

Efferent

Back 45

"Carrying away from" the CNS

Front 46

General structural components of the NS

Back 46

Sense organs
Brain & spinal cord
Nerves of the body

Front 47

Examples of special sense organs

Back 47

Special sense organs: eyes, ears, tongue

Front 48

Examples of general sense organs that are microscopic and more distributed

Back 48

Pressure, pain, temp, & stretch receptors in the skin

Front 49

You can think of brain and spinal cord as this

Back 49

Brain and spinal cord = "central command"

Front 50

You can think of the nerves of the body as this:

Back 50

Body's peripheral two way information highway

Front 51

Function of body's nerves

Back 51

Convey incoming sensory info
and
convey outgoing motor info to produce motor output

Front 52

Subdivisions of PNS

Back 52

Sensory nervous system
Motor nervous system

Front 53

How can you break down motor nervous system?

Back 53

Into somatic NS and autonomic NS (known as ANS)

Front 54

Soma

Back 54

"Body"

Front 55

What kind of functions does ANS control?

Back 55

body organs and glandular function

Front 56

Examples of stuff ANS does

Back 56

Heart rate, peristalsis of stomach & intestine, digestion, excretion, glandular secretion

Front 57

Neuroglia generate this speed of wave

Back 57

Slowwwww waves

Front 58

What are neuroglia?

Back 58

Support cells

Front 59

Are neuroglia excitable?

Back 59

Neuroglia are non-excitable

Front 60

What does it mean when we say neuroglia is non-excitable?

Back 60

Does not generate nerve impulses

Front 61

Excitable

Back 61

Sensitive to stimuli and able to generate AP's

Front 62

Neurons transmit waves of WHAT across and down the length of their membranes?

Back 62

waves of voltage change across and down the length of their membranes

Front 63

Nickname for neuroglia

Back 63

Neuroglia = "nerve glue"

Front 64

Neuroglia continually does what for neurons?

Back 64

Support, nourish, and protect neurons

Front 65

How does neuroglia help in neuronal development?

Back 65

guides neuron development, esp. prenatally & during childhood

Front 66

Neuroglia maintains these kind of balances

Back 66

ionic blances

Front 67

ions

Back 67

charged atoms

Front 68

Neuroglia terminate neuronal signalling by doing what?

Back 68

by taking up neuronal neurotransmitters

Front 69

Neurotransmitters

Back 69

Special chemicals used by neurons to communicate with each other

Front 70

Neuroglia control these

Back 70

control synapses

Front 71

Neuroglia may do this, but we're not sure.

Back 71

May do some signalling, but it'd be non-AP signals

Front 72

Can neuroglia divide through life? And what's that called?

Back 72

Mitotic, and yes they can

Front 73

What happens to a neuron-damaged area healing wise?

Back 73

Neuroglia fills it in

Front 74

Why can brain scar tissue be bad, and what's it made of?

Back 74

Made of neuroglia and bad 'cause no more neurons will be there

Front 75

Describe structure of neuroglia

Back 75

Branching processes, central cell body (like neurons)

Front 76

What are the nuclei of neuroglia like compared to those of neurons?

Back 76

Neuroglia have smaller, darker-staining nuclei than neurons

Front 77

Which does your body have more of: neuroglia or neurons?

Back 77

More neuroglia... more than a 10:1 ratio

Front 78

Pathology of neuroglia

Back 78

Brain tumors

Front 79

Name for neuroglial brain tumors

Back 79

gliomas

Front 80

Gliomas count for what percent of NS tumors

Back 80

60% of NS tumors

Front 81

brain tumors = what percent of all cancers

Back 81

2% of all cancers

Front 82

survival rate for a brain tumor

Back 82

1 year for less than 50%

Front 83

How many types of neuroglia?

Back 83

6 types of neuroglia

Front 84

How many types of neuroglia in CNS?

Back 84

4 types in CNS

Front 85

name four types of neuroglia in CNS

Back 85

Astrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal cells
Oligodendrocytes

Front 86

2 types of PNS neuroglia

Back 86

Satellite cells
Schwann cells

Front 87

"Astro"

Back 87

Star-shaped

Front 88

Multiple sclerosis

Back 88

Body attacks mylein sheath, impairs nerve signalling

Front 89

Most abundant type of CNS neuroglia

Back 89

Astrocytes are most abundant

Front 90

Astrocytes have bulbous terminals called WHAT?

Back 90

called foot processes

Front 91

bulbous terminals of astrocytes are one what and waht?

Back 91

on neurons and capillaries

Front 92

What job would astrocytes have if they were humans?

Back 92

they'd be bouncers

Front 93

Astrocytes maintain what balances?

Back 93

maintain ionic balances

Front 94

Astrocytes do what to neurotrasmitters?

Back 94

they do re-uptake of neurotransmitters

Front 95

what do astrocytes control

Back 95

they control synaptic acitivity

Front 96

astrocytes have what in the developing brain

Back 96

have scaffolding/guidance fibers ind developing brain

Front 97

astrocytes do what for the neurons of a developing brain?

Back 97

tell neuron where to go to find another neuron.

Front 98

Astrocytes contribute to what barrier

Back 98

blood-brain barrier

Front 99

Astroyctes protect CNS from what?

Back 99

from nasty chemicals

Front 100

Smallest kind of CNS neuroglia

Back 100

microglia

Front 101

Least abundant of CNS neuroglia

Back 101

microglia

Front 102

structure of microglia cells could be compared to what?

Back 102

to a thorny bush

Front 103

Microglia cells are THESE because they are the macrophages of the CNS

Back 103

they are phagocytes

Front 104

Function of microglia

Back 104

engulf microbes, dead neurons, and debris

Front 105

If microglia were human and had a job, what would they be?

Back 105

policemen

Front 106

Ciliated cells which form epithelial lining of central cavities within CNS

Back 106

ependymal cells

Front 107

ependymal cells form what lining where?

Back 107

form an epithelial lining of central cavities in CNS

Front 108

What do ependymal cells do in the brin

Back 108

line brain ventricles

Front 109

Ventricles

Back 109

Small fluid-filled cavities deep in the brain

Front 110

What do ependymal cells do in the spinal cord?

Back 110

line central canal in spinal cord

Front 111

special about structure of ependymal cells?

Back 111

ciliated

Front 112

CSF stands for...

Back 112

cerebrospinal fluid

Front 113

Function of ependymal cells (not the lining part)

Back 113

Form CSF and aid in its circulation around the CNS

Front 114

CSF

Back 114

Special fluid formed as a filtrate of blood

Front 115

Function of CSF

Back 115

Supports, nourishes, and cushions the CNS

Front 116

Where does CSF primarily occur?

Back 116

in ventricles, central canal, and under meninges

Front 117

Meninges

Back 117

Membranes that cover, protect, & support the CNS

Front 118

This word for one kind of neuroglia means "cells with few tree-like branches"

Back 118

oligodendrocytes

Front 119

Oligodendrocytes are less branched than this other kind of neuroglia

Back 119

less branched than astrocytes

Front 120

Where do oligodendrocytes line up?

Back 120

line up along CNS neuronal processes

Front 121

oligodendrocytes ensheath what with what?

Back 121

ensheath CNS neuronal processes with insulating myelin sheaths

Front 122

Myelin

Back 122

Lipid/protein wrapping that facilitates neuronal signaling of APs

Front 123

Each oligodendrocyte myelinates how many neurons in its facility?

Back 123

myelinates multiple neurons

Front 124

Pathology of oligodendrocytes

Back 124

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Front 125

What happens to oligodendrocytes in MS?

Back 125

they get injured or die in a multiple sclerosis victim

Front 126

Function of satellite cells

Back 126

Surround/support neuronal cell bodies

Front 127

where are satellite cells, PNS or CNS?

Back 127

PNS

Front 128

neuronal cell bodies are also called _______

Back 128

somas

Front 129

Neurons can occur in clusters called WHAT in the PNS

Back 129

clusters called ganglia

Front 130

Satellite cells function like a connective tissue THIS to hold cells together in a cluster

Back 130

like a CT stroma

Front 131

Stroma means...

Back 131

net

Front 132

singular of ganglia

Back 132

ganglion

Front 133

Ganglia

Back 133

Clusters of neuronal cell bodies and their neurites

Front 134

Clusters of hundreds or thousands of neuronal cell bodies and their synaptically connected neurites

Back 134

Ganglia

Front 135

Where do ganglia occur?

Back 135

occur along nerves in PNS

Front 136

ganglia often synaptically communicate with what?

Back 136

with other nearby ganglia

Front 137

why would ganglia communicate with other nearby ganglia?

Back 137

in order to control some nearby organ or structure

Front 138

Which two kinds of neuroglia basically have the same function?

Back 138

oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells

Front 139

Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells: PNS or CNS?

Back 139

Oligo: CNS
Schwann: PNS

Front 140

Function of Schwanns

Back 140

myelination

Front 141

Each Schwann cell myelinates what?

Back 141

a small portion of ONE neuron

Front 142

Many hundreds of Schwann cells ensheath a what?

Back 142

ensheath a peripheral axon

Front 143

if you saw Schwann cells ensheathing a peripheral axon, what would you be reminded of?

Back 143

of beads on a string

Front 144

Myelination

Back 144

formation of myelin sheaths

Front 145

Myelin wrapping facilitates what of action potentials

Back 145

rapid conduction

Front 146

Nodes of Ranvier

Back 146

Gaps of exposed axon between adjacent Schwann cell myelinations

Front 147

Function of Nodes of Ranvier

Back 147

tiny gaps where AP current can get strengthened/regenerated

Front 148

Nodes of Ranvier enable what kind of conduction?

Back 148

saltatory conduction

Front 149

AP doesn't need to be generated where?

Back 149

doesn't need to be generated at insulated internode regions covered by Schwann cells

Front 150

Occurance of white matter

Back 150

Most of the interior of the brain and the exterior of the spinal cord

Front 151

Unmyelinated axons are still in close proximity to oligodendrocytes/Schwann cells. Why?

Back 151

Because those cells are surrounding and suupporting them, but NOT with multiple myelin rappings

Front 152

Why is gray matter gray?

Back 152

Absence of myelinated axons and presence of cell bodies, unmyelinated processes and synapses

Front 153

Occurance of gray matter

Back 153

Thin exterior of the brain and the interior of the spinal cord

Front 154

thin exterior of the brain

Back 154

Cortex

Front 155

Cortex means what?

Back 155

Rind or bark (refers to outer portion of an organ)

Front 156

Neurons live a long time. Why?

Back 156

For memory

Front 157

What does it mean that neurons are "post-mitotic"?

Back 157

Don't divide or get replaced

Front 158

Metabolism of neurons?

Back 158

High metabolism, some of the most active cells in the body

Front 159

Another name for cell body of neuron

Back 159

soma

Front 160

What kinds of extensions and processes can neurons have?

Back 160

dendrites and axons

Front 161

How to use your hand and arm to remember neuron anatomy:

Back 161

palm = cell body/soma
fingers = dendrites
arm - axon

Front 162

Perikaryon

Back 162

Soma, cell body
Means "around nucleus"

Front 163

Chromatophilic substance is also known as

Back 163

Nissl bodies

Front 164

Chromatophilic substance consists of what

Back 164

of Rough ER, free ribosomes

Front 165

What does chromatophilic substance produce?

Back 165

Produces many complex proteins needed by neurons

Front 166

Cell body has neurofilaments (neurofibrils) for what?

Back 166

for cytoskeletal function

Front 167

the cell body isn't the only place to have neurofilaments. where else?

Back 167

Also in dendrites and axons for structural support

Front 168

Plasma membrane of a nerve cell body has these

Back 168

has specialized protein receptors

Front 169

example of specialized protein receptors on plasma membrane of nerve cell bodies

Back 169

ion channels responsible for generating signals

Front 170

Neuronal cell bodies tend to cluster together. what determines which group with which?

Back 170

cell bodies with similar functions tend to cluster together

Front 171

why do neuronal cell bodies tend to cluster together?

Back 171

so they can integrate info together

Front 172

where do neuronal cell bodies tend to cluster together the most?

Back 172

in the CNS

Front 173

In the CNS, most cell bodies occur in collections/clusters called WHAT?

Back 173

nuclei

Front 174

in the PNS, cell bodies occur in clusters along nerves called WHAT?

Back 174

along nerves called ganglia